The DC 10 was originally conceived as a twinjet. American Airlines required that the aircraft be capable of operating from existing runways. McDonnell Douglas added a third engine at the base of its vertical tail of the DC 10.



The first transcontinental range DC-10-10s entered service with American in August 1971. After the DC 10-10 a more powerful intercontinental DC 10-30 was developed.

In total 386 civil DC-10s have been delivered. In 1990 the MD11 was delivered for the first time.